On Wednesday, April 11th, 2018, the Piedmont School Board held their bi-weekly meeting. The meeting started at 7:06 p.m. at City Hall and concluded around 7:40 p.m., making it one of the shortest meetings in a while. The main reason for this was because there was nothing on the agenda to discuss. The real purpose of the meeting was to take questions from a few students, the Parents Club, and questions pertaining to changing the location of the fire alarm in preparation for the new building that will be built at Piedmont High School.

The first question was from a member of the Piedmont Education Foundation (PEF) and the Parents Club about the cost of Chromebooks for the Middle School and High School because of the lack of donations from 6th grade parents this year. She urged people to keep Chromebooks up to date by donating money. She also urged people to contribute to the Piedmont Spring Fling at piedmontspringfling.org .

Next, a representative from MHS updated the board on what is happening on campus such as Senior Prom, athletic events, and a dance show field trip to Alvin Ailey at UC Berkeley.

The first student to comment in the meeting was Maggie Lucas, a PHS Senior. She asked the School Board to consider investing in an “extracurricular PE class,” because PHS requires one year of freshman PE as well as another year of PE or sport. This causes many students to sacrifice academic periods. Additionally, all of the extracurricular sports are very competitive and do not guarantee spots because many athletes get cut from the teams.

Next, Drew Lali, another senior argued that the School Board should reconsider taking away the two days that are part of Winter Break for next year’s schedule changes.

I was the last PHS Senior to comment. I asked the School Board to consider investing in online textbooks for PHS or alternative online material content for classes. I asked this because for students who travel between two homes on a regular basis (like myself), it can often be a burden to have to carry heavy textbooks back and forth. Additionally, the online content is more up to date than much of the content that are in the textbooks, and is continuously being updated. Although most classes now have online textbooks, I always have two or three classes each year that still use hardcover textbooks.

Michael Braidy explained how the fire control on the 10s building at Piedmont High needs to be moved to the 30s building in preparation for the construction of the new building that is expected to start early March of next year. However, Braidy did clarify that the schedule for construction is still very flexible.

When the meeting concluded, I spoke to Doug Ireland about the meeting. He is a member of the School Board and is there for the bi-weekly meetings. He explained that he learned that the School Board should reevaluate the costs of Chromebooks based on the comments made by the Parents Club earlier in the meeting. He also noted that the Board will be going forward with looking at the costs and installation of fire alarms at Piedmont High. Last, Ireland was happy about how short the meeting ended up being.

bySaatvik Dube, Piedmont High School Senior

 

Relocation of Fire Alarm and School Spending

    On April 11th, 2018, at the Piedmont City Council Chambers, there was a biweekly school board meeting. The members of the school board attended, with the addition of one student from ASB for Millennium High School. Also, Students, both in High and Middle school, attended the meeting for school related assignments.

    The School Board meeting addressed the topics of school spending and relocation of the Fire Alarm system to the 30’s building at Piedmont High School. Also, a student at Piedmont High School addressed the graduation requirement for Physical Education.

First, the spending amount schools get is allocated from the Government of California, and in addition the Parents from Piedmont can donate money to foundations created by Piedmont Parents to help the Schools.  A low percentage, 35 %, of 6th Grade Piedmont Parents donated money for Piedmont Middle School.  Almost half, 45%, of 9th Grade Piedmont Parents donated money for Piedmont High School. The money parents donated can help the subjects in School.  For example, I know families that donate to Paints, an organization that helps promote Art classes in the Piedmont Unified School District.  I think all parents that are apart of any school district should donate to provide as much help as they can from these organizations.

The Second issue addressed was the relocation of the Fire Alarm system to the 30’s building. The 10’s building is going to be taken down as well as the Theater to update the buildings and make them earthquake safe and much nicer than their current status.  The school is moving the fire alarm system to the permanent spot in the 30’s building before the 10’s building is being torn down.  Sarah Pearson,  School Board President, asked the question, “Will the theater be able to put on plays and shows for the students and Parents?”  The person said that people will be able to see plays before March because the Theater will be shut down early March of next year.

After the meeting, I interviewed Sarah Pearson about the meeting. She told me, “It was the shortest meeting [she] could remember in [her] five and a half years on the school board.” When I asked why this was the shortest meeting, she replied, “that there is going to be a special meeting on Monday to go over in depth the policy.” The School Board meeting was short but packed with information about the following topics above. What will be the resulting outcome of the new theater and 10’s building over the years?

by Drew Lalli, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors.

 Where to Participate

Historic Oakland City Stables  The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is hosting 60 projects for Earth Day in honor of 60 years of SCA!  Join SCA in Oakland to help restore the historic Oakland City Stables. The Oakland City Stables, managed by Diamond Equine Services, offers 7 acres of public green space in the Oakland Hills. The Stables provide a range of programming to the Bay Area community and encompasses historic and cultural resources. Volunteers will help to preserve this historic area through land restoration:through tasks such as weed pulling and invasive removal.  Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes and bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.  The event will take place rain or shine so please dress for the weather!SCA will supply coffee and snacks for volunteers as well as work gloves and all project supplies. Volunteers will also receive SCA ConSERVE t-shirts.  QUESTIONS: Contact events@thesca.org or 1-888-SCA-EVENTS.

Saturday, April 21st, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm    Oakland City Stables, 13560 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619. Please drive cautiously at the speed limit of 5 mph to prevent startling the horses on site. Carpooling is also encouraged!

2018 City of Alameda Earth Day Festival: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 21, Washington park, 740 Central Avenue. Activities for kids, Earth Day games, exhibits and bike-powered spin art machine. https://bit.ly/2GYSy3q. Coastal clean-up: 8:30-10 a.m. Crown Memorial State Beach, Crab Cove Visitors Center. Registration required: https://bit.ly/2GUvEKu

John Muir Birthday at John Muir National Historic Site– Earth Day Celebration: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 21, John Muir National Historic Site, 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. Music, recycled fashion show, silent auctions, and more. 925-228-8860, https://bit.ly/2F3NWeH

Earth Day San Francisco: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. April 21, Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco. Celebrate the 49th year of Earth Day and the 100th anniversary of the Save the Redwoods League. Live bands, DJs, speakers, dance and performances, fashion show, chef zone and eco demo. Free. http://www.earthdaystreetfest.org/

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Join the Unity in Community, a fun and engaging festival focused on building empathy and taking action to support a more inclusive community.

Organized by Piedmont & Millennium High Schools students, with support from PADC (Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee), the festival will features youth-led booths and performances, hands-on activities ranging from kid-friendly arts and crafts games to stations dedicated for letter-writing to Congress members.

There will be food trucks, fun and learning for all ages. Show your support for building a more inclusive Piedmont and come join the fun.

When

Sunday, April 22, 1-3 p.m.

Where

Piedmont Community Hall & Park 
711 Highland Ave 
Piedmont, CA 94611

Contact

Jill Lindenbaum 
415/572-3433 
jill.lindenbaum@gmail.com 
www.padc.info 

Can you offer help?

The Alameda County Grand Jury is looking for citizens who are willing to give their time to help good government. Alameda County Civil Grand Jurors are needed for 2018-2019.   

Alameda County Grand Jury recruiting deadline April 15.

http://www.acgov.org/grandjury/documents/App.pdf

Alameda County residents can also fulfill a civic duty by submitting a complaint to a Grand Jury. All complaints are confidential.  See below.

“Civil grand juries have been instrumental in rooting out waste and investigating city leaders suspected of breaching the public trust. Unlike criminal juries, civil grand juries do not deliberate the outcome of criminal defendants or convene for judicial trials. Recent grand juries in Alameda County have conducted investigations into possible misconduct of public officials and the operation of government agencies within Alameda County.

For example,

• In 2016, a civil grand jury investigated Fremont’s email retention policy, which prompted the City of Fremont to preserve emails for a two-year period instead of purging emails after one month periods.

• In 2016, the civil grand jury investigated complaints regarding the City of Oakland’s contracting process for awarding garbage collection contracts. The grand jury found that the city’s contracting process lacked transparency and that “franchise fees paid by the ratepayers were disproportionately higher than franchise fees paid to other Bay Area municipalities and special districts.”

• In 2014, the civil grand jury noted mismanagement of fire inspections in Oakland and recommended that the City of Oakland record liens against properties that fail to pay fire inspection fines.

California State Law requires that every county impanel a civil grand jury comprised of 19 residents to serve for one-year periods. Civil grand juries are responsible for examining county departments and public officials to determine whether improvements are needed.

The range of issues reviewed by grand juries include health care, education, pensions, and special districts. Civil grand juries also routinely inspect county jails and review issues pertaining to school districts.

Each year the grand jury reviews complaints from county residents to determine what to investigate. All complaints are maintained in confidence.

To serve on the Alameda County grand jury you must:

• Reside in Alameda County for at least one year on July 1st;

• Be at least 18 years old;

• Be able to commit 8 -10 hours per week, and occasionally more time if needed;

• Have an ability to work well with others.

• Commit to keeping all grand jury deliberations secret.

Civil Grand Jury

The civil grand jury acts as a “watch-dog” by investigating the workings and efficiencies of county and local governments. Past investigations have highlighted the failings of local officials in adequately scrutinizing the deal that returned the Raiders football team to Oakland – a deal which currently costs Oakland and Alameda County taxpayers in excess of $20 million every year; the failure of local school boards and county education officials in adequately overseeing the financial affairs of bankrupt school districts in Oakland and Emeryville; and exposed the county welfare agency’s complete failure to investigate welfare fraud, resulting in the district attorney assuming responsibility for those investigations and prosecutions – now numbering over 800 felony prosecutions each year.

The civil grand jury is also authorized to:

1. Inspect and audit books, records and financial expenditures to ensure the public that public funds are properly accounted for and spent.
2. Inspect books and records of special districts in Alameda County.
3. Examine books and records of non-profit agencies that have substantial contacts with county or local agencies.
4. Inquire into and inspect conditions of local jails and detention facilities.
5. Investigate charges of willful misconduct by public officials or employees.

The next grand jury term begins on July 1, 2018. In Alameda County, the deadline for applying for the 2018-2019 term is April 15, 2018. There is a particular need for applicants from Fremont, Hayward, Dublin, Livermore, Union City and Newark.

In addition to serving on the grand jury, you can fulfill your civic duty by submitting a complaint. All complaints are kept confidential.

Any person may complain to the Alameda County civil grand jury. The grand jury can only act on complaints dealing with a county department, any city within Alameda County, local agencies that operate within Alameda County (for example BART, EBMUD, AC Transit), and all school districts within Alameda County. The civil grand jury also considers complaints against public officials typically dealing with malfeasance in office. The civil grand jury cannot investigate complaints against state or federal agencies.

Since the activities of the civil grand jury are secret, complainants can be assured their identity will not be disclosed to anyone outside the grand jury.

Complaints made to the grand jury must be in writing and include the name, address and phone number of the complainant. The civil grand jury encourages people who wish to make a complaint to use the complaint form below.

To make your complaint:

1. Download the complaint form. (7kb)**
2. Complete the form.
3. Mail the completed form to the address listed in the form

How Do I Become A Civil Grand Juror?
Prospective civil grand jurors are nominated by judges of the Alameda County Superior Court. To be eligible for nomination, a citizen must first submit an application that may be obtained from the Alameda County jury commissioner. The qualifications required are: U.S. citizenship, residence in Alameda County for at least one year, and be at least 18 years of age, and have a sufficient knowledge of the English language. Convicted felons and those who have been discharged from service on a grand jury within one year are ineligible for grand jury service. Judges from the Superior Court then review the applications and the applicants’ backgrounds before conducting personal interviews of the applicants. Civil grand jurors are expected to attend grand jury meetings on average two days each week.

Once a sufficient number of citizens have been nominated, 25-30 names are selected as nominees. The nominees must equally represent each of the five supervisorial districts in Alameda County. At an official ceremony, 19 jurors are selected to serve for a one year term. At the discretion of the presiding judge, up to ten members of the prior grand jury may be held over for an additional year of grand jury service.

How to Obtain an Application

Call, Email or Write:

Cassie Barner
Grand Jury Recruitment
1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 1104
Oakland, CA 94612
cassie.barner@acgov.org
510-208-9855

You can print the application from the link below and mail it to the address listed above.
Grand Jury Application: App.pdf (PDF – 110kb) *

For further information, Alameda County residents may contact Cassie Barner (510) 208-9855 or visit www.acgov.org/grandjury/juror.htm.

The government body which met on Wednesday, March 21, 2018,  at 7:30 p.m. was the Piedmont Recreation Commission discussing the future of Beach Play Field. The contract to design the new field complex was given to GroundWorks Office, who proved their creativity, collaborative approach, and vision of Piedmont needs.

Groundworks employee Sarah Keshell presented the 35% in progress plan for the new Beach Play Field to the Recreation Commission. Groundworks said they conducted an online survey which received about 200 responses. They also met with community members to come up with important additions to the new play field. Things that were pointed out included “Tot lot valued by the community, no place to watch sports, add restrooms at north end, and make tennis courts regulation size.”

After hearing all the community feedback, Groundworks’ Will Smith presented the in progress plan which included 2 new building complexes, a skate park on the south end of the park (next to the Oakland Avenue Bridge), an area to eat lunch next to the existing redwood trees, which will be preserved, expanded tennis courts to meet regulation size, and an “Art Plaza” which will bring color to the new Beach Play Field.

Near the end of the meeting, community members addressed problems such as safety for the children crossing Oakland Avenue coming to play.  Another major issue is the noise from the skate park which will affect the recently built townhouses and nearby neighbors on Greenbank Avenue.

The neighbors are tired of monitoring the field and new amenities will cause teenagers to come out and party, creating a lot of unwanted noise.

I think it would be easy to fix these issues by adding a speed radar next to the Oakland Avenue crosswalk, and more illuminating colors to get drivers’ attention. To solve the noise, adding sound walls with art on them is an easy solution and locking up the area at night will keep out unwanted visitors. Additionally, I interviewed a  group of young skaters. They said they were kicked out of all the skate spots and adding the new skate park is a good idea. They urged the Recreation Commission to have a professional skate park designer come to help because “it really makes a difference, especially to make it for all age levels.”

In conclusion, the Recreation Commission is very excited to see the project continue and enjoyed the presentation. Moving forward they will focus on dealing with sound issues and safety for the children.

By Jason Finkel, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author. 

Trees, Recreation Facilities, Water Fountain for Dogs in Dracena Park, Lights and Plantings at the Community Center, Art Center Landscaping, Street Sweeping, Arbor Day –

The Park Commission Meeting of March 7, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. was held in the Piedmont City Council Chambers, and covered several issues and updates with regards to the state of Piedmont’s community spaces, upcoming Arbor Day, monthly maintenance and park safety updates, and more.

The March meeting began with the regularly-scheduled 10-minute public forum. There was one speaker. Piedmont High School Senior Yasi Parsa thanked the hard work of the Park Commission and strongly encouraged a continuous implementation of drought-resistant plants in Piedmont, whenever possible, due to its resulting conservation of water and environmental benefits.

The first item on the regular meeting agenda was the Approval of Park Commission Minutes for February 7, 2018, and Park Commission Chairperson Jamie Totsubo confirmed that there were no corrections by the Park Commission members; all members accepted the minutes as presented.

The second item on the agenda was an update on Community Hall Lighting and Planting and Civic Projects Donation from the Piedmont Garden Club.  Nancy Kent, Parks and Facilities Manager, said that the existing light poles at Piedmont Community Hall were replaced by four Spring City Light poles with new LED fixtures. Kent said the lights are dimmable and that she is happy about their implementation.

In my opinion, the lights are important to improve because good lighting is so necessary in a communal and ceremonial space.

Kent also said that the Evergreen Hedge and declining cherry trees in the courtyard will be replaced by a new Laurel Hedge and White Flowering Dogwoods, in the week of March 19th. She said baskets will be hung at the community hall lights, and that the Piedmont Garden club will donate to the City to have the plants selected and the baskets hung.

Former Park Commission Chair and Park Commissioner and future Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) president Patty Siskind donated money to the Park Commission for the Dracena Dog Park, in order to install what she said is a much-needed water fountain for dog owners and patrons. She also introduced a diagram with succulent plants that are drought-tolerant, and said the design of the baskets at the Community Center can embody “thrill, fill, and spill,” which, as Kent went on to clarify, means a possibility of minimal irrigation for the succulents.

Following this, an update was given by Kent on the city’s playgrounds. According to this report, the safety of the playgrounds at the Piedmont Park, Recreation Department, Hampton Field, Lower Dracena Park, and the climbing and swings at Beach Elementary school, were reviewed this year as part of the facilities maintenance program requirements. As a result, the Recreation Department’s equipment has been replaced, and four of the five play structures received the Gold-Edge Certificate of Compliance. There was also an adjustment that was carried out on the playground equipment at Hampton. Oak tree branches were pruned away from the Recreation Department and the Piedmont park climbing structure, and the gap between a slide structure was fixed as well. According to Kent, this year’s report was a good.

Subsequently, there was an update on the Linda Beach Master plan during the meeting. Kent said that currently, the Plan is in an interim stage, and an online survey of more than 240 responses was taken on the Park’s preliminary design options. Kent reported that there were a lot of different ideas, and no main consensus. She also said that there are three very similar design presentation meetings on the Park Masterplan; the first will be presented March 21st at the Recreation Commission, the second at the Park Commission on April 4th, and the third one at the City Council Meeting of May 7th. The staff will review the public input taken from the three meetings and make another presentation, Kent said.

Following this topic was an update on the Heritage Tree Policy. Totsubo said that at the last Park Commission meeting, a Heritage Tree Selection Sub-committee was chosen, which is permanent for as long as the Heritage Tree Policy exists. A motion was made during the March 7th meeting to approve this appointment of Commission volunteers Jim Horner, Patty Dunlap, and Robin Wu.

Park Commission member Jim Horner said that he encourages people to send in applications for the trees, and that the deadline is Friday, March 16. Kent confirmed that it was a fillable PDF available on the City website.

An update was also given on Arbor Day by Commissioner Brian Mahany, who discussed the Arbor Day poster. Arbor Day, he said, will be on April 19th at 5 p.m., inside the Piedmont Park Community Center, lasting most likely under an hour. The Piedmont Jazz Lab band and PHS jazz band combo will perform at the event. Keynote speakers will be Commissioner Jim Horner and Mayor Bob McBain. Mahany said that while a two-sided banner could cost more, some of the benefits include a relatively nicer view of the images on both sides, and an alleviation of the sun shining through. He said there are two bids of $950 dollars for the most likely one sided banner.

Lastly, a monthly maintenance report was given by Public Works Department Supervisor of Maintenance Dave Frankel. First, he said that weeding in Piedmont parks has been a focus in the past month, due to rainy weather. He said there was planting done at the Community Hall Circle, at the Bonita Avenue corner of 801 Magnolia Avenue, and at the Piedmont Center for the Arts, by Public Works Department staff.

Trees were removed from the Wildwood Avenue entry to Piedmont Main Park, and the staff has also cleared creeks, trash racks, and catch-basins, during rainstorms.

Frankel also said that California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is back in town, and that they are working on the removal of Acacia trees and weeds in the Park courtyard and at Blair Park.

Frankel reported that Davey Tree Company is in town, working on PG&E line clearing work, and that the Public Works Department staff has been planting street trees such as some Southern Magnolias on the corner of Monticello Avenue. They also removed a Magnolia tree on Moraga Avenue, which was hit by a car, as well as some decaying American Elm trees on Highland Avenue.

Frankel noted that if anyone wants to have their street swept, they can currently contact the Public Works Department, as they are not servicing sewer lines.

Commissioner Horner said that he thinks that having succulents at the Piedmont Community Hall is a good move, because they are durable, long-lasting, freeze-resistant, and look good.

I agree that they have aesthetic value and can last, and I think that since these plants will also conserve water, it is a really good idea.

Nearing the end of the meeting, Mayor McBain thanked Chairperson Totsubo for her fine work on the Commission as both a member and chairperson, and said that it was a pleasure to work with her for many years. He said that there will be a ceremony in May for honoring Totsubo and other civic volunteers.

“Having been here so many nights and evenings, what a great job you’ve done,” McBain said. “I want to say thank you for all your work and help, and you have made things better, so thank you.”

Totsubo thanked McBain and reminded those interested to send in applications for a vacant spot on the Park Commission, saying they are due Friday, March 9, at 5 p.m.. She also thanked all of the staff, expressed her confidence in their work, and said it was a fun, seven-year learning experience.

“I know I’m leaving an amazing group of smart and talented commissioners, who can navigate complex issues,” Totsubo said. “And I’m confident and happy that Arbor Day will be in good hands for many, many years to come, so good luck, Robin and Jim, Patty, Betsy, Eileen, and Brian. Good luck, and have fun with your time.”

The meeting ended with Commissioner Betsy Goodman handing an orchid to Totsubo on her retirement, thanking her generosity towards serving as the Chair during a time when the Commission was young.

After the meeting, I interviewed Dave Frankel, and asked him why he attended the meeting, including any difficulties and problems that may have caused him to attend. He said that he gives monthly maintenance reports on the park staff’s activities to the Park Commission at their meetings, and that regarding his takeaway from the meeting, he was disappointed that Jamie Totsubo was leaving. He said she is a wonderful and outstanding Park Commission chairperson.

According to the Piedmont City website, the Commission meets on the first Wednesday of each month, making recommendations to the City Council about improvements to the public parks, and managing the street tree improvement program of the city.

by Yasi Parsa, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Board Marches Toward Change

    On February 28th, Sarah Pearson, the President of the Piedmont Board of Education, opened up a discussion about change. Initially leading everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance, she stood in the center of the semi-circle table, surrounded by the four other members and the Superintendent. This was the second meeting of the month, as the Board meets bimonthly on the second and fourth Wednesdays in the Council Chambers of City Hall to discuss issues involving the School District and seek to make decisions that will improve the schools.

To start the meeting, Ms. Pearson introduced Mr. Kessler, the president of the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT), who spoke about APT’s concern for school safety in relation to the February 14th shooting in Parkland Florida. He explained that the group had voted to declare March 14th a day of action, suggesting the possibility of letter writing to officials, moments of silence in respect for the people who died, murals, and marches. His words later prompted Board Member Doug Ireland to show his support for APT, and to voice his concern for the safety of teenagers in Piedmont and across the country.

Superintendent Randall Booker expressed his support for APT’s actions. He mentioned the nation-wide plans for showing respect to the victims of the Parkland shootings on March 14th and spoke on behalf of the School District in supporting students in taking part. He spoke of the importance of standing in unity during times like these.

Mr. Ireland spoke passionately about a couple different issues, including the mental health of students and the environment that Piedmont families create at our schools. He expressed horror at the number of students who are in states of, or who have ever been in states of, depression and at how many have contemplated suicide. Drawing connections between depression and stress, he mentioned the intense environment surrounding college that exists in Piedmont. He voiced a desire to change the level of expectations that are placed onto students as they apply and decide where to go to college.

In response to the recent resignation of the Athletic Director, a common occurrence for Piedmont High School in the past two years, he admitted that blame has to be placed on the parents and community. His assertion set the tone for the rest of the meeting: a desire for change.

Continuing with the theme of changing and improving, Dr. Cheryl Wozniak presented to the Board about past and future opportunities for members of the community to learn about diversity, inclusion, equity and other issues.

The Let’s Talk sessions have been successful, with many Associated Student Body members from the High School attending, along with other faculty and members of the community.

As expressed by Dr. Wozniak, there will be more sessions for people to attend, along with other events, including the “Unity in Community” assembly, which is organized by students. These attempts are all in the hopes of teaching people about diversity and engagement in order to fulfill new social justice standards for administrators.

Terry Montgomery spoke to the Board about measure H1, and the Board moved to accept her report.

Next, Pete Palmer presented the new Safe School Plans. The plans focus on emergency drill protocol, with the major change being the implementation of lock down drills. Amal Smith, a Board Member, spoke in favor of this change, mentioning that the frequency of fire drills has allowed students and faculty to have memorized the protocol. The Board approved the plan.

The next major item on the agenda was the issue of the new Math Pathways proposal. Dr. Wozniak also presented the proposal, explaining the changes that were being made and the many options that students will have if the proposal is passed by the Board. The changes would allow students entering high school to have the opportunity to study over the summer and then take an assessment to accelerate and take a more advanced class, for example.

Personally, I think that having so many options about math classes could be a bad thing. Students at Piedmont are constantly stressed and many take on very hard classes and have large work loads. Adding more options, and therefore more ways to seemingly get ahead or excel, will only cause the stress level of students to increase.

Math teacher, Diana Miller, later told me that she, along with others members of the Math Pathways Committee, attended the meeting to hear the information presented and the Board’s decision. The Board voted three to two in favor of the changes, which pleased Ms. Miller. The discussion was not a brief one, and had been going on for months. Ms. Miller said she was “impressed by the depth of discussion between the five Board members before the vote”, as all members thoughtfully considered what is best for the students in Piedmont.

by Zoe Adams, Piedmont High School Senior

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s Talk About It

On February 5th, 10th, and 11th, Piedmont chose to broaden the dialogue.  As member of Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee member and Council member Jen Cavenaugh affirmed at the beginning of the first ever series of Let’s Talk workshops — which were a series of meetings to address diversity, acceptance, and inclusive dialogue within Piedmont — “all great things start with people showing up to the table.”  Among the scattered coffee cups and Cuties oranges, members of the Piedmont community certainly did show up.

The event started with a mirroring activity, led by Sara Wicht, a consultant who often engages audiences in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program.  Encouraged to find a partner who each of us had not previously known, we took turns leading or following.  Staying connected in our physical actions took consistent eye contact, focus, and consideration to each others’ physical ability.

The activity set the tone for the entire meeting.  We were asked to relate the activity — and the focus it required — to the ways we go about engaging in vulnerable dialogue.  Truly engaging in a dialogue requires empathy and trust — an ability to navigate their sensitivities and abilities — as well as an awareness of oneself as an individual.

The rest of the meeting largely functioned off of this foundation of exploring trust.  We related the community of Piedmont as a whole to our own individual identities, feelings, and experiences.  As Piedmont is an affluent city — the median income is $202,000 per year according to the 2016 Census Data and 60% of the population is over 40 years old while 28% of the population is under age 19 — the community is largely stratified by age.  Piedmont is also home to 8,069 caucasian people, 1,499 foreign-born people, 2,018 Asian people, 649 multiracial people, 632 Hispanic people, 142 African-American people, 19 Native American people, and 6 Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people. This stratification of age and ethnicity results in a variety of generational or cultural mindsets, that we were able to see more clearly during a polling question section.  While 74% of participants full-heartedly agreed that they would want to be able to talk to neighbors about a variety of issues, the idealism began to crumble when confronted with reality.  50% of participants soon responded that “talking about race with neighbors could open a can of worms” and that it was “not worth it” sometimes. 49% of participants felt that only “sometimes” were they able to talk comfortably about religious or non-religious systems with their neighbors, while 9% felt uncomfortable.

As I shared with the entire group present, I see this split between idealism and reality as being due to a “cultural longing for agreement.  We have, in recent years of polarized politics and social issues, transformed ourselves into a culture that equates agreement with trust and friendship.  Disagreement, feels like a threat to understanding and empathy.  As we hold our personal beliefs very near to us — they form our identities, which often feel the need to safeguard relentlessly in a Trumpian era — the fear of disagreement precludes our sincere engagement on many issues.  When discussing issues and possibly disagreement seems connected to losing or gaining friends or community support, many freeze up.”

Indeed, even this meeting reflected a largely like-minded group.  As I shared to the group, “we have grown accustomed to our echo-chambers, but I believe we can apply the same sort of open empathy and trust to all people, regardless of whether we know they will agree with us or not.” Action must, and will, take place.  Especially after an activity that allowed us to organize our identity into seven different categories, and then quickly cross each aspect off one by one to leave the last one remaining. The Let’s Talk event brought more awareness to those who must “shed an identity everyday just to feel safe.” As an adult woman, Sara, spoke out: “privilege is not needing to shed an identity in everyday life.”  The Let’s Talk event confirmed that we must find ways to allow everyone to feel safe in their everyday life.  As an African-American woman reaffirmed to the group: “we must reinforce that anyone can have a positive social identity even if the community does not directly reflect it.”

For many, the desire to take this positive step was what brought them to conversation at Let’s Talk.  As we reflected on the first time we became aware of our racial identity, or considered the aspects of our identities that were most important to us, I noticed that the meeting drew upon members of the Piedmont community from all walks of life, and for all reasons.  Many adults present were parents of children in the elementary schools, hoping to better understand the culture of the high school.  Others were active supporters of the schools, and PADC.  Vanna Nicks, in a interview with me afterwards, found that she was there “to actually practice  [engaging in the uncomfortable]” and “explore many points of views, rather than just [learning how to] convince other people to adopt one way.”  Others, largely the teen contingent, were there to give a student insight into the actions of the high school.  All attendees, however, were there to support and shape a Piedmont that is tolerant and comfortable for all.

Many adults at the meeting voiced hopes for more intersectional contact for kids of Piedmont at a younger age.  After learning about the need for young children to develop the anti-bias domains of identity, diversity, justice, and action, many adults, including Nicks, concluded that a diverse Rec Department for elementary school kids — with different play styles and different kids — could help lay the foundation for trust and empathy early on.  Nicks also proposed that a “big brother-big sister” buddy program could help inspire younger students; high schoolers could play and talk with younger students about how to communicate, be brave, and take action.  Nicks views the learning she encountered at the meeting — from a newfound understanding of the word “cisgender” to learning frameworks for how to communicate with people and recognize when they are feeling pain or anger or suffering in a conversation — as being highly applicable to kids in the schools, especially if initiated in bite-sized, natural chunks.  Another adult, who had long taken part in a Mormon book group when she was not Mormon, also advocated for more exposure — at any point in life — to different groups of people.  Taking the time to be vulnerable and step out of one’s comfort zone was the resounding theme of all responses to the discussions.

Community member Vanna Nicks affirmed her hope for a tolerant populous in the United States as well as in Piedmont: “speaking as a person who stutters, I [sometimes] assume that people will want to end the conversation [with me] because I can’t control my blocks.  [Yet] living in the closet because of fear,” Nicks found, has limited her in the past.  Describing her pleasant surprise when, in fact, peoples’ attentiveness to her words grow due to her stutter, she feels ready to ask the question of “what can happen when we show our true selves.”   While she knows that the fear of lack of acceptance does indeed “come from somewhere,” she also knows that “we have a role” in our interactions and our lives.  Fear does not “just happen to us.” We always have the choice to respond to it with brave, kind action.

by Genevieve Raushenbush, Piedmont High School Senior 

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Piedmont and Crown Castle agreed to refer the cell antenna lawsuit to court mediation with a March 22 date in United States District Court, Northern District of California, in Oakland. On  October 16, 2017 the City Council denied eight of the 11 cell antenna sites requested by Crown Castle.  In response, Crown Castle sued the City November 15, 2017 and Piedmont is expected to respond no later than March 9, 2018.  

Resident assesses what to do regarding cell tower issues –

To the Piedmont City Council:

I encourage you to settle the Crown Castle lawsuit and approve their application. Here is my point of view for whatever it is worth to you:

1- All new technologies carry risks that have to be weighed against the benefits to our community, our State, and our Nation. Here is a comparison of common risks in the US:

– Lifetime risk of death by injuries (such by car, fall, gun fire, …) for a person born in 2014:  1 in 20 as documented by the Information Insurance Institute.

– Teenagers’ risk of injuries (treated in an emergency room) suffered in motor vehicle crashes: 1 in 25 as per Center for Disease Control.

– Lifetime risk of developing cancer due to background radiation : 1 in 100 as per the National Center for Health Research. Background radiation refers to radiation that naturally occurs in our environment and does not come from any manufactured devices, such as emitted from the earth, sun, our galaxy, and other galaxies. The vast majority of non-invasive cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers caused by non-ionizing ultraviolet radiation.

– Lifetime risk of brain cancer after 20 years of cell phone use: 1 in 200. This is the only available evaluation and an entry in the blog of Joel Moskowitz, PhD, a member of our community, Director and Principal Investigator, Center for Family and Community Health, UC Berkeley.

2- The Sutro Tower emitted TV programs at an Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of 10 Million Watt for decades (versus 730 Watt ERP for a Crown Castle antenna). A 2001 review of epidemiology studies by the San Francisco department of public health concludes as follows: “Because of weaknesses (in the peered reviewed studies), current evidence does not suggest that living near broadcast towers would lead to an increased risk of cancer”.

3- It is easy to measure the strength cell provider signals using one of the many applications available. A good one is “Network Cell Info” for Android phones. Note that -100 dBm is essentially 0 Watt, and -36dBm is 0.000,000,3 Watt. One can also test the effectiveness of the Faraday effect to shield an area by placing a flat conductive wire mesh between a cell phone and its sending tower antenna.

4-The power emitted by a cell phone during a call ranges from 1 milliWatt when reception is good to 1 Watt (a thousand time more) when the reception is poor. (The power level picked by a cell phone for a call is negotiated between the phone and the equipment attached to the cell tower antenna when the call is established. It is then adjusted during the call to maintain good communication). Transmitted energy density diminishes with the square of distance. At 1 Watt, the brain is exposed to a power density of 35 milliWatt/cm^2 (phone against the ear at 1.5 cm from skull). The additional maximum exposure to the signal transmitted by one of the proposed Crown Castle antenna is 19 microWatt/cm^2 or 1800 times less. It is quite possible that a resident who lives in an area with very poor coverage and who spends a significant amount of time on her phone at her home everyday would be exposed to less cumulative radiated energy should an antenna be installed in front of her house. Fear your cell phone more than tower antenna!

5- With regard to scientific research, studies’ reproducibility and replicability are among the main principles of the scientific method. There is an on-going crisis in research with regard to reproducibility as reported by the Journal Nature on May 25, 2016 : 70% of researchers surveyed by the Journal Nature have tried and failed to reproduce another scientist’s experiments, and more than half have failed to reproduce their own experiments.

Bernard Pech
Piedmont Resident

February 24, 2018

Editors Note:  Opinions expressed are those of the author.